A technician is investigating the who, what, when, where, and why of an issue.

When a technician is investigating the who, what, when, where, and why of an issue, they are at the step of researching the issue. This involves gathering all relevant information about the problem to ensure that the subsequent steps in the troubleshooting methodology are informed and effective.

References:According to the CompTIA IT Fundamentals troubleshooting section, thorough research is critical to understand an issue deeply before formulating a plan of action or testing theories.